Automatic gas-analysis apparatus.



APPLICATION NLED YBB.21.19\3.

Patented Be; 15. 1914.

VVVTNESSE5- ATTORN EY cnnRLns w. HEATH. or CINCINNATI, 01110..

AUTOMATIC GAS-ANALYSIS APPARATUS.

' Specification of Letters'latent. Patented Dec, 15, .1914,

. Application filed February 21, 1913. Serial Nd. 749,811.

To all whom it may concern -Be it known that LGHAupEs YV. Hearth a cit i'zen ofthe United States,-residing' in Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of OlllO, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic, Gas-Analysis Apparatus; of which the fol-- .lowingis a specification.

- My invention relatestoan improved ap;

and success ve f analyses of'gases and .the-automatlc and" 'paratus 'for automatic complete recording, of the results: of such analyses upon 'a moving chart preferably I provided with a graduated .scale.

:T he object of my invei' tion ist-o record at frequent intervals -ina simple, accurate and,

efiicient manner the percentage of' carbon dioxid (CO' iii-the gases leaving a furnace (suchms a boiler furn'ace), the record thus made aflordinga reliable indication as to the efiiciency with which the fuels are being burned, it being understood that;the percentage of CO in the gases leaving a fur- .nace vforms a reliable index as to the-citiciency of thefurnace. While layinvention is' especially adapted and intended for this purpose I do hot limit it to this'use alone'as "itmay also be used to automatically record the percentageof gases'o-ther than CO contained. in samples which may be taken from any place Where it-yis desirable to know somethingof the constituents ot the nii vture ofgases occupying a "space.

' -My invention. consists in the novel con-. structions. combinations and arrangements as herein illustrated, described and claimed. In the drawings which serve to illustrate the construction, application and use of my invention :-the drawing shows diagrammatic. view partly in 'verticalsectimi and partly in'elevation showing the general con-- struction' and arrangement of the apparatus.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated and which shows a preferred construction, 1 represents a gas measuring.

chamber, having a quantity of non-al. sorbent liquid 2 therein and provided .with a flexible bottom or diaphragnr 3 which is adapted to be engaged and moved by drivin'g liquid 4. An inlet pipe "5 comn'iunicat-' ing with gas supply pipe 6 extendsdownwardlv into said gas ineasuring' chamber 1 'and its lower end terminates at a point above the. non-absorbent liquid 2 when in the position shown'inTig. 1. A gas measgas' measuring pipe 7 is a non-hydraulic check valve. 8 provided'with.lrcheck .9 there-'- the liquid through which the surplus, as is pressure'each time an analysisis made.

uring pipe 7 i'sfc'onnected tos'aid gas ineas-'- uring chamber 1 and itslower endpreferr ably terminates a short distance above "the lower end' of inlet piper); Mounted on in which .is adapted to normally rest upon the valve 'seatlO and close the upper end-of said pipe 7. This pipe {7 and valve 8 serve to permit excessive amounts of gasdrawm into measuring"chamber 1 to es'cape into the ati'nosphere without allowing anyo'ft'he at in'osphere to enter pipe {and measuring chan' ber l. I J 1 i I provide 'a norrhydraulic check'valve for there'asonthat it does not require re-a djnsting-or replenishing to compensate for evaporation which occurs with a hydraulic check 'alve. Another advantage rot my non-hydraulic check .valve'is its uniformity of ac-' t-icnwhereas a hydraulic check valve when the height of the liquid changes (as it does in actual practice),requires either more or less pressure to overcome the static head 'of.' the liquid sealing the mouth of the gas measuringpipe 7 extending-below the sur face of the liquid. \V hile equal'volurhes-of gas may be"; pumpethyet a slight-- difference in pressure due to the differencesin head of discharged will make a difference'in the actual'alnounts of gas ineasured ofi' andtherebvdestiroy the accuracy of the analyses' A check valve which does not depend on a liquid and made of glass or metahufor instance,' willalways require the sa nep'res-H sure to overcome its weight and the amounts of gas )assed into the absorbent vessel will always be of the same volume and the same 1 While it might seem t-hat" a hydraulic check valve. or liquid sealuwould be an,ad vantage in preventing the leakage of atmosphcre into the measuringchamber, still this is not necessary-hurl even. though a metallic 100' hr. glass check valve should leak slightly the atmosphere would have to completely fill the. nvasuring pipe. 7 before it lcould mingle with the gusto be analyzed in chamber 1. As thea-pparatus as hereinillus- 105 trated is intended for pced as well as accuracy and simplicitv the checl; valve might eveu l e leaking con'si(lei-ably and yet before the atmosphere could have sutiicient time to fill pipe T the liquid 2 would have reached 110 forcing any surplus gas contained in measuring chamber 1 out through pipes 5 and 7 and valve 8 before any of the atmosphere could have hadtime to reach the measuring chamber 1 and mingle with the gas to be analyzed.

A gas discharge pipe or tube 11 extends from gas measuring chamber 1 into an absorbent vessel 12 and terminates near the bottom thereof. Vessel 12 contains an absorbing liquid 13, such as caustic potash solution. The absorbent vessel 12 is also preferably provided with an enlarged neck 14 which is adapted to receive filtering material 15 composed of iron wireor glass beads, for instance, which in the construction shown, surround the gas discharge pipe 11. A vertical tube 16 extends upwardly in said vessel 12 from the bottom thereof to said filtering material 15- and surrounds the lower portion of gas discharge pipe 11, the lower end of said tube being beveled. as-shown or otherwisecut away to permit the absorbing liquid to freely enter the bottom of said tube. The upper end of tube 16- preferably extends slightly above the surface of absorbing liquid 13.

A tube 17 extends from neck 14: to a second measuring device 18 which is provided with a closed receptacle 19 containing a preferably non-evaporative liquid 20 which also enters the lower end oftube 21 which extends downwardly into receptacle 19 to near the bottom thereof and the upper endof said tube is connected to an enlarged measuring chamber 22 having an upwardly extending neck 23 which is provided with graduatir ns thereon by which to determine the amount of gas which'has been absorbed in the absorbent vessel 12. In other words the parts'19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 constitute a second measuring device 18 for measuring the residue of gas which has not been absorbed by the absorbing liquid 13. The automatic recording of these. measurements may be ac complished by suitable means, such, for instance, as the means described below. A float 24: is suspended within said chamber 22 and neck 23 and is secured to a flexible connection 25 attached to a curved bar 26 upon one end of the lever-arm 27 mounted on pivot or fulcrum 28. This float 24 is adapted to rise and fall with the surface of the liquid 1 which is intermittently forced 5 up into chamber 22 and neck 23. V i I The lever-arm 27 is provided with a marker 29. which engages a' slowly revolving chart 80 which maybe actuated by suitable means, such-as clock .work 31. A suit- I able weight or counterbalance 32 is mounted upon the lever arm 27 between its pivot or fulcrum 28 and the marker 29 to pull down the end of the 1ever-arin27 when the weight end of said lever'arm so that the movement of said lever-ari-n is automatic and certain.

This marking device records upon the-movj ing chart the height to which the liquid rises in neck 23 of the second measuring device '18 and provides a permanent record of the diflerent analyses, which records may be preserved thus affording reliable information. asto the percentage of each original sample of gas which was absorbed in passing through the absorbing medium 13, and consequently providing a record of the ethciency of the furnace to which the apparatus is connected. .4

A gas outlet pipe 33 isfconnected to the pipe'17 and extends upwardly therefrom to near the top of stand pipe 34 and communicates therewith at 35 near the'lower end of said stand pipe. The stand pipe 34: is supplied with water or other driving fluid 1 from a pipe 36 and said stand pipe (0111- municates with chamber 3'7 beneath the flexible diaphragm 3, by means of a fluid passage 38. Stand pipe 3% also communicates at a point still nearer its lower end with the siphon pipe 39 which is provided with an airchamber 40 near its upper end and a discharge pipe 41 extending downwardly therefrom. The flexible diaphragm separates the nonabsorbent liquid 2 within the chamber 1 from coming into contact with the driving liquid 4. This is important because ordinary water unless slightly acid will absorb CO -and would destroy the accuracy of any-gas analysis apparatus which allows it to come into contact with the gas to be analyzed.

A float 42 containing mercury a3 is loosely mounted. within a float vessel stat which is niatically and intermittently opening and closing said electric circuit 45 for the purpose of causing electrically operated arm 46 to tap lever-arm 27 of the'markiiig device at the closeof each analysis and at the time the result of said analysis is recorded on chart 30, thereby enabling'carbon copies of i the record to; be made bene'aththe top chart 30 similar to the manner in which copies are made on a typewriter.

'1 preferably construct the apparatus so that the driving liquid may be brought into contact with both measuring chambers to causethe temperature to be alike in each.

This I may accomplish y 21 1 1 ng the driving liquid 4 to flow t rough pipe 36 into compartment 19 thereby bringing into discharge a quantity of gas, a part of which is to be measured off and discharged through the absorbent vessel 12. A continuous flow of current ofgas from a furnace or other source of supply passes through the gas supply pipe 6 from which samples of gas are automatically drawn, at intervals, through gas inlet pipe 5, into The motive' power or driving or tube 34.- from pipe 36 begins rising in tubes 34, 33 and 39. A portion of this liquid also flows from stand pipe 31 through the passage 38 and forces upwardly against the flexible diaphragm 3 which causes the nonabsorbent liquid 2 .to rise in measuring chamber 1, thereby forcing a' quantity of the gas contained above. said liquid through pipe.5.- As soon as the liquid has covered the month of pipe 5 the path of next least resistance through which gas may escape is pipe 7 and check valve 8 until the lower end of pipe 7 is sealed. Thus is trapped in measuring chamber 1 a sample of gas of a lore-determined volume and at a p're-determinedpressure, which. sample of gas is now. to be'analyzed, As the. liquid continues to rise still higher in chamber 1 and now also in pipes 5 and 7 this measured gas sample is forced through discharge pipe 11 and through the absorbent yessel 12 which contains the absorbing liquid 13. This liquid 13 absorbs the CO, contained in the gas sample passed through it, after which the unabsorbed gas is passed from the ab sorbent vessel 12, through pipe 17 and into the second measuring device 18 which meas ures the unabsorbed gas.

The first measuring chamber being arranged to measure a uniform and definite quantity of gas each time, and'the second measuring chamber being adapted to measure the residue of each sample of gas after the CO therein has been absorbed, the CO contained in each sample of gas measured'wilLhe indicated by the difference in quantity of each sample measured in the first measuring chamber and the residue thereof measured in the second measuring chamber.

By the time the non-absorbent liquid 2 has filled the measuring chamber 1 and reached the discnarge pipe 11 it will have risen also to a still greater height in pipes 5 and 7, and the driving liquid 4 will have risen sufficiently high in tubes3-1and 39 .to have filled the air chamber -lO-and will now begin to overflow through tube 41,. thereby 3 starting the siphon 39, 4O and il which will empty tube31 much faster than it is being filled. As stand pipe 31 is emptied, the pressure of the driving liquid 4 on the hotliquid 1 entering the stand pipe.

spray from leaving the the driving liquid 4 flows from'driving chamber 37 through passage 38 into stand pipe 31 and consequently the non-absorbent liquid 2 falls in pipe 5 drawinganother charge of gas from pipe 6 after .it into measuring chamber 1. hen the liquid in pipe 31 has fallen as low as the point at which tube the non-absorbent liquid 2 will have-fallen below the mouths of pipes 5' and 7 and the measuring chamber 1 will again be filled with gas drawn from pipe 6 throughpipe 5. The siphon 39, 40 and -11 continues to operate until the liquid is drawnffrom stand pipe 3a and air enters 39 and 10 breaking the liquid seal and causing said siphon to cease to operate for the time being. This intermittent rising and falling of the driving liquid in the stand pipe 31 is the principal means whereby the gas'is caused to be drawn into the, measuring chamber 1, correct samples measured off, and these sam p'les then forced through other parts of the apparatus,,w-here the analyses are made, the results of the analyses recorded on a moving chart, and the residue, 01 unabsorbed or pipe 39 connects to tube 34:

.gas, discharged at the proper time-into the absorbing liquid 13, to be rolled and buffeted between the surfaces of pipe 11 and tube 16, therebybringing every particle of the gas contained in each bubble into direct contact with the absorbing liquid, so as to expose all of'the gas to the absorbing liquid and insure a rapid and complete absorption of all carbon dioxid (CO containedin each sample passed into the absorbing liquid. These bubbles rise to the top of tube 16 (which preferably is extended slightly above the. surface of the absorbing liquid 13), where they burst, sending a spray of the liquid 13, into the filtering material 15 located above tube 16. Theunabs'orbed-gas, before leaving vessel 12, must pass through this filtering with the spray of the absorbing liquid. This material15 serves the double purpose of preventing any of the absorbing liquid vessel-12, and also,

if by any chance a small portion of the CO was not absorbed in passing up through the. 11 and tube 16, it

solution between pipe would certainly be absorbed in passingthrough this filtering material, .Whic as before stated, is saturated with the absorbing liquid. As the unabsorbed portion of the gas sample now leaves vessel 12, it-

passes upwardly through tube 17, into closed receptacle 19 and displaces a portion of the non-evaporative' liquid 2-0 therein by forcing it upwardly through tube 21 ihto measuring chamber 22 and graduated neck 23 thereby also moving the-float 2% upwardly, the movement of which causes the marker 29 to automatically record upon the slowly moving chart 30 the results of the analyses.

When the fluid in tube 34 has reached a predetermined height it raises the float 42 containing mercury 43 and brings said met" cury 43 into contact with both ends of a normally open electric circuit, thereby completing the circuit; Leading from thismain circuit is another circuit to which is connected the magnet 4:7 which actuates arm 46, and this arm in turn acts on lever-arm 27, causing this arm to bear heavily on the recording surface of the chart 30 so that carbon copies of the record may be made if desired.

The float 4:2 and mercury 43 are parts of the main switch which automatically switches electric current on and oil at the proper time to e'nergizethe magnet 54.

When the liquid is siphoned from the stand pipe 34, it will flow out of tube 33 into pipe 3% also. This unseals tube 33 and allows. the residue, or unabsorbed gas, to escape from the receptacle 19 through tube 33 cape pipe 33 is not immersed in or sur rounded by a liquid. This construction enables me to use the minimum amount of driving liquid for each analysis, greatly simplifies the construction and decreases the.

size or bulk of the apparatus by allowing me to dispense with a vessel containing some of the driving liquidior escape pipe 33 to Clip into. Instead. the residue. of the analysis escapes through the gas pump Without being able to enter the chamber or cylinder 1 of the pump and Without requiring any separate i'csscl, or an}; other liquid besides that which flows up, inside escape pipe 33, to enable the apparatus to perform its functions properly.

My invention is capable of considerable modification without departure from the scope or spirit tln. went. as for instance, while I prefer to use mercurr 4-3 in the float 42 to open and close the electric circuit 45, I do not Wish 'to limit myself thereto, but vmay substitute in place of said mercury any suitable means, such as a metal contact, for the same purpose. v

I claim:

1. An automatic apparatus for gasanalyv sis comprising a plurality of measuring chambers, a gas supply for the first of said measuring chambers, an absorbing medium, a passage .for gas from said first measuring chamber into contact with said absorbing medium and into a second measuring chamber, means for automatically discharging" the residue of gas from said second measur-.

mg chamber, means to show-the result of the analysis, adisplacing liquid which canv not absorb the gas to be analyzed for said first measuring chamber,- a flexible diaphragm adapted to retain said displacing liquid between said diaphragm and the-gas. to be analyzed and means for moving said diaphragm to cause said liquid to rise and I fall in said first measuring chamber whereby the as is drawn into and discharged from sa first measuring chamber.

2. An automatic apparatus for gas analysis comprising a plurality of measuring chambers, a gas supply for the first of said ing chamber. an upper displacing liquid,

which cannot absorb the gas to be analyzed, in said first measuring chamber, and a driving liquid adjacent to the lower part of said first measuring chamber-but distinct from said displacing liquid. and means whereby said driving liquid acts to'cause the displacing liquid to rise and fall in said first measuring chamber, whereby the gas is drawn into and discharged from said first measuring chamber. I I

3. In an automatic apparatus for analysis, measuring chambers, a discharge pipe leadingfrom the first of said chambers, means for supplying charges of gas to be analyzed to said first chamber. non-absorbing liquid adapted to rise and fall in said first chamber, a flexible diaphragm adapted to retain said non-absorbing liquid between said diaphragm and the gas to be analyzed. and a driving fluid adapted to engage and more said flexible diaphragm. means for absorbing part of the constituents in the gas and-means for registering and recording the result of the analysis. v

4. In an automatic apparatus for gas analysis. measuring chambers, an absorbent vessel through which the gas to be analyzed is forced from one measuring chambcr'to another, a re istering device to show the result of the analysis, non-absorbing and displacing liquids in said measuring chambers, a to be collected for analysis, and so On in: lgexible dialphragm adaptefd -to retain the definitely.

isplacing iquid in one 0 saidmeasurin chambers, and means for movin gggsaid dia CHARLES HEATH 5 phragm to cause said displacing liquid vto Witnesses:

measure and discharge a quantity of gas JAMES N. RAMsEY gg, then recedb to allow another sample CATHERINE DonANi 

